Leah Gledhill – Service Manager
Clare Collister – Finance and Business Support Officer
I have been working for Cooperative Care Colne Valley as Finance and Business Support Officer, since July 2020. My main roles are managing payroll, invoicing, office systems and organisational administration. Being useful and organized is key to my role.
While I don’t have prior experience in care I do have a passion for working with and helping people. My previous work life has largely been customer focused within an administration or finance role, with the exceptions of working at Manchester airport, and being a Student Midwife.
Cooperative Care Colne Valley are a lovely bunch of people with a great passion to make a difference locally, where I also live (although I am a proud Mancunian – please don’t hold that against me) and it makes a huge difference being a part of what we are achieving, I actually look forward to my working days. The 10-minute commute to work is a bonus.
As the cooperative grows, I’m also working to grow my knowledge, experience, and repertoire to be able to offer more to the cooperative and to our community.
Outside of work, I am a single mother to two daughters, 10 and 13, and a crazy Border Collie puppy. I like nothing more than being sociable and love a good chat with anyone that listens, thankfully having a puppy has given me many more people to talk to!
Sue Richards – Nominated Individual*
I have had a 35 year career in social care, starting as a care assistant and progressing to the level of service director in the local authority. I am a qualified social worker – my practice days were mainly spent in learning disability services.
I have held responsibility for a budget in excess of £100 million. I have also held responsibility for adult safeguarding and domestic homicide reviews. My responsibilities over the years have been wide-ranging, including all regulated services for adults and some regulated services for children.
I am passionate about supporting people to live the lives they want – even up to the end of their lives. Over the last few years, it has become increasingly apparent to me that preventative services that help people maintain independence as part of a social network are crucial in supporting people’s need for social care. The more that people’s lives shrink the more likely they are to be dependent on social care. When people need more support it is important that individuals and their families are able to shape, and have control over, the high quality services they deserve.
My other passion is for the opportunities that integration affords in improving outcomes. Integration not only with health and social care but also maximising the benefits of partnerships with the voluntary and community sector.
At home, I have a love for gardening and walking but I also love to travel in England and abroad. I am lucky enough to have a motorhome which makes that possible. In recent years I have taken up golf which keeps me busy in my spare time.
*The senior role of Nominated Individual in a CQC-regulated organisation like ours is crucial, providing support and supervision for our Service Manager and, as part of our Board of Directors, contributing to the strategic development of the organisation.